Ursinus College Magazine Fall 2014

URSINUS FALL 2014

MAGAZINE

Ursinus Remembers President Bobby Fong

in this issue URSINUS MAGAZINE / FALL 2014

on campus Michael Moronese 2015 signs a memorial board to Bobby Fong in Wismer. Moronese is a Health & Exercise Physiology major. He balanced a full course load along with the job of Bobby Fong's personal trainer. He trained Dr. Fong at the Floy Lewis Bakes Field House three mornings a week.

"Sometimes the brief moments make the biggest impacts and memories in our lifetime," says Moronese. "The best mornings I've shared at Ursinus thus far were with President Fong, as we welcomed the sunrise with some sweat and cheerful smiles. He was a rare man who took time to try to improve and strengthen himself, and the lives of those around him – whether with a big plan, or simply a passing smile."

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The Life and Work of President Bobby Fong President Bob­by Fong left a lasting legacy of a reinvigorated liberal arts program at Ursinus.

His belief in the power and promise of a liberal arts education was unwav­ering, even in the midst of a national debate that sought to redefine the na­ture and value of liberal arts

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26 On Call at the National Aquarium Veterinarian Colin T. McDermott 2007 has taken his passion for biology, animal science and medicine to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the Helen Swearer Fellow in Aquarium Science and

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Looking for the Light Sue Fernandez 1964 read about Jennifer Anyayo in an article about survivors of Uganda's civil war.

She became dedicated to helping the young girl

in higher education. Students, faculty, staff

Veterinary Medicine at the National

receive medical treatment

and alumni mourn Dr. Fong's passing. In this

Aquarium and Education Committee

in the U.S. The experience

story, we celebrate his exceptional life and

Chair for the Association of Reptilian

changed both of their lives.

accomplishments in his three years as

and Amphibian Veterinarians.

president of Ursinus.

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THE GENTLEMAN JUDGE The Honorable (and beloved) J. William Ditter, Jr. 1943,

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celebrates his 50th year on the bench.

CLASS NOTES The American Psychiatric Association has honored Dr. Sheldon Wagman 1959

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FIELD NOTES Professor Heather O’Neill teaches the Economics of Sports. At Ursinus, she has won the Lindback Award for Teaching Excellence. Dr. O'Neill teaches several of the department's core courses, including Principles

as a 2013 Distinguished Life

of Macroeconomics, but when the opportunity arose to blend her love

Fellow. This is one of the

of baseball with her enthusiasm for statistical analysis, she knew she

highest honors a psychiatrist

"had hit a cool research vein.”

can receive.

Facebook ...where 4,301 friends like the Ursinus page. www.facebook.com/ursinuscollege

Twitter ...where Ursinus has 1,885 followers. www.twitter.com/ursinuscollege

Instagram ...where Ursinus has 570 followers. www.instagram.com/ursinuscollege

Official Ursinus Social Media Directory can be found on news.ursinus.edu/social or directly here news.ursinus.edu/ college-communications/social-directory

dear readers,

In the early morning hours of September 8, 2014, the Ursinus community lost its greatest champion of the liberal arts when President Bobby Fong passed away of a heart attack at the age of 64. The news that Bobby’s zest for life and genuine compassion for the Ursinus family were quieted all too early was – and still is – incomprehensible to so many of us.

On that Monday morning, we announced his passing in an email to the campus community, alumni, parents and friends. None of us ever anticipated the circumstances which necessitated that email, and despite the profound sense of loss, our community found comfort in one another in ways that were both touching and inspiring. In the days since his passing, all of us in the Ursinus College community embodied the very best of what Bobby had to offer as a selfless and generous leader, mentor, advocate and friend.

URSINUSMAGAZINE Volume CXVI NO. 2 FALL 2014

Third class postage paid at Lansdale, Pa. Ursinus Magazine is published seasonally three times a year.

Copyright 2014 by Ursinus College.

Editorial correspondence and submissions: Ursinus Magazine, P.O. Box 1000, Collegeville, PA 19426-1000.

610.409.3300 or e-mail: ucmag@ursinus.edu Editor Kathryn Campbell kcampbell@ursinus.edu Chief Communications Officer Thomas Yencho tyencho@ursinus.edu Director of Communications Wendy Greenberg wgreenberg@ursinus.edu Senior Writer Ellen Cosgrove Labrecque 1995 elabrecque@ursinus.edu Class Notes Editor Jennifer Meininger Wolfe jwolfe1@ursinus.edu

So it is with sincerity and a sense of pride that I offer the following: There is no greater tribute to Bobby than in the way Ursinus faculty, students and alumni and staff united, together, to mourn his passing and, ultimately, to celebrate his legacy.

Contributing to this Issue Joan Fairman Kanes, Roy Scott, Lashinda Clark, Dan Johnson, Hilary Schwab, Steve Falk, Jim Roese, Erin Hovey 1996, Carolyn Weigel, The National Aquarium

Ursinus Magazine was being prepared for the printer as news of Bobby’s death came. We are mindful that we cannot fully capture his legacy in just 10 pages, but we hope the following articles and heartfelt tributes shine the light on the extraordinary life and vision of our beloved president.

Design Jeffrey Morgan / JDM Creative Advertising www.jdmcreative.com

Go, Bears!

Terry Winegar Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College

Chair, Board of Trustees Alan P. Novak 1971 Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Dr. Lucien “Terry” Winegar Senior Vice President for Advancement Jill A. Leauber Marsteller 1978 Vice President for Enrollment Richard DiFeliciantonio Vice President for Finance and Administration Jonathan C. Ivec Vice President for Student Affairs Deborah Nolan Chief Information Officer Gene Spencer The mission of Ursinus College is to enable students to become independent, responsible, and thoughtful individuals through a program of liberal education. That education prepares them to live creatively and usefully, and to provide leadership for their society in an interdependent world.

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Life Work as a Calling +

For three years, Dr. Fong was the architect of a lasting legacy at Ursinus College

n his three years as President of Ursinus College, Bobby Fong left a lasting legacy of a reinvigorated liberal arts program. The transforming work of Ursinus, he often said, was to help students “both make a living, and make a life of purpose.”

From his arrival on campus July 1, 2011, he emphasized that Ursinus students would learn to think critically, communicate effectively, work cooperatively and act ethically. In fact, those attributes were largely what defined Bobby Fong and led him on his path to the presidency of two colleges, Ursinus and Butler University in Indiana.

His belief in the power and promise of a liberal arts education was unwavering, even in the midst of a national debate that sought to redefine the nature and value of liberal arts in higher education. In turn, Dr. Fong admired Ursinus for its dedication to rigorous academics, and especially for its students, whom he loved as curious, passionate young adults working to make significant contributions to the world.

His mother and father were from Guangdong province in China. Dr. Fong spoke Cantonese until entering elementary school in Oakland, California’s China­town. Neither of his parents, a butcher and a seamstress, lived to see him graduate from college.

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“I am a child of immigrants,” he said in an interview with Ursinus Magazine when he first arrived at Ursinus. “I relished my undergraduate experience at

“To the extent that character and leadership and service to others are important, as part of a college education, that is best engendered, I think, in a liberal arts oriented program,” he said.

An academic, and one of just a few Asian American college presidents, Dr. Fong brought a deliberate and analytical approach to his role as Ursinus president, seeking to find the appropriate balance between liberal education and experiential education. He also embraced the Ursinus commitment to accessibility for qualified students in need.

He went beyond being an advocate of access and focused on those students’ futures. He created opportunities for real work experience and internships that offered students an advantage in being able to enter the job market upon graduating. “If we’re going to be egalitarian, it means we need to equip students who have to answer the crucial question of how they will make a living after graduating,” he said. “It’s not enough to say we are preparing students by giving them a liberal arts education for its own sake. That leaves many of our students economically out in the cold.”

“Ursinus seeks to cultivate qualities of intellect and character that are essential for a satisfying career and useful life.

We believe that it is possible to learn to make better judgments and choices in the face of uncertainty and complexity.”

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“As president of Ursinus College, I pledge this institution to the pursuit of academic excellence, not simply for its own sake. I pledge than an Ursinus education will engender in students not only habits of mind, but also, in deTocqueville’s famous phrase, habits of the heart which will enable them not only to make a living, but also to make lives that are personally fulfilling precisely because they are implicated in the well-being of others...

“The greatest justification for the kind of education we do here is that it can change the world. And our greatest obligation to our students is to remind them that the work they do will make a difference for good, not just for themselves, but for us all. ...For this reason, our final gift to our students must be to teach them to hope.”

- Bobby Fong, Inaugural address

Harvard. I was always thinking about how I needed to get a job and earn a living to keep body and soul together. I was fortunate enough to have graduate and professional school options, but not every student may want to take that path.” His pride in his culture was evident when he accepted a Pioneer Award from the Organization of Chinese Americans in August, 2011. At that time, and in several interviews and talks, he urged more “shattering” of the “bamboo ceiling.”

After earning his Ph.D. at the University of California-Los Angeles, Dr. Fong started his academic career at Berea College in Kentucky. He then became Professor of English and Dean of Arts and Humanities at Hope College in Michigan, and accepted a position as Dean of the Faculty and Professor of English at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, where he stayed until accepting the Butler presidency in 2001. Under his administration, Butler experienced record-breaking fund-raising, balanced budgets, growth in endowment and improvements to the campus infrastructure. During his tenure, the men’s basketball team twice reached the NCAA Final Four championship game, but Dr. Fong was most proud that the players attended classes the days of the games.

In October 2010, Ursinus announced that Bobby Fong would be its 15th President, somewhat surprising the higher education community.

The Chronicle of Higher Education wrote on Nov. 2: “It’s not every day that the president of a university with a powerhouse Division 1 basketball team announces his intention to leave for a job at a small liberal arts college. But that’s exactly what Bobby Fong, the president of Butler University, did late last week, when he made public his plans to become Ursinus College’s next president.” To which Bobby replied: “In many ways, I think the insistence that academics and athletics have to be compatible will be less of a sell at a place like Ursinus,” he said. “They will say, ‘Of course.’ ”

Indeed, Ursinus did respond “of course.” In his President’s Perspective in

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November 2011 Dr. Fong wrote, “Athletics can be the front porch of a college, and a successful athletic program can bring a lot of people to look inside the house, but it is what they see inside that matters. It’s important to regard athletics as a part of the educational enterprise of the college. I think Ursinus has gotten it absolutely right.”

He promised an era devoted to better preparing students for the world, by cultivating tolerance and empathy. In his Inaugural address, in April 2012, Dr. Fong said: “What we celebrate today is the beginning of another chapter in the story of Ursinus College, a story informed by foundational values that have inspired passion and dedication on the part of those who have imparted or partaken of a distinctive and exceptional educational experience. Fundamental to Ursinus is the academic seriousness with which it regards learning, teaching, and scholarship. It affirms the life of the mind, the ability to think critically and to communicate effectively, while providing opportunity for students to develop habits of the heart, the capacity to work cooperatively and act ethically. It is committed to a community of learning that strives for ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic diversity for the sake of enhancing the experience of students preparing to be citizens of the world.”

And he delivered on that promise.

Shirley Roels, a professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said upon Dr. Fong’s death: “This past March he gave a stunning address at a NetVUE (the Council of Independent Colleges’ Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education) conference to strengthen college and university chaplaincy, a presentation that will be published in the journal ‘Liberal Education.’ Bobby Fong believed that education should be woven with the exploration of meaning, purpose, and

values while retaining respect for the variety of intellectual and religious voices that cultivate ‘the sparks of divinity’ in every learner,” she said. “We will miss Bobby Fong as a thoughtful, yet humble leader who viewed his own life as a calling.”

In addition to loving the films Chariots of Fire and Twelve O’Clock High (the latter of which Dr. Fong said was a character study in leadership), another one of his lasting favorites was Mr. Holland’s Opus. “It is a wonderful evocation of how teaching becomes a calling.”

Additionally, Dr. Fong was the architect of a strategic plan for Ursinus College, working with faculty and staff to see it through to a working document, as a roadmap for the future of Ursinus.

Those who knew him agree he saw his own life’s work as a calling. “Bobby believed with all his heart in the transformative power of an Ursinus education,” said his wife, Suzanne Fong. “He took joy in the success of students, faculty, and staff. He loved meeting alumni and hearing their stories. He is gone and we miss him terribly. But what we leave behind is not stone monuments but what is engraved in the lives of others. All that makes Ursinus extraordinary is still here. Ursinus's growth and flourishing will be his greatest legacy.”

“It enables us to be more focused in how we use our existing organization and resources. Curricular reform is a continuous process. What the strategic plan has done is offer particular directions for that examination. We are also looking for ways to strengthen our ties beyond the campus. It is a matter of being more deliberate in how we spend our time in this area.”

The strategic plan placed the cultivation of judgment at the heart of an Ursinus education, as a way of getting at questions of value and character that Ursinus explores in the Common Intellectual Experience.

“We don’t exist in a world where the response to a complex problem is a matter of pushing buttons to obtain a convergent or right answer,” he said. “Most positions of responsibility call for deliberation because there may be more than one way of reaching a reasonable conclusion on a matter. Judgment is being able to calculate an optimal solution where there may be a different answer at different times in an organization or individual’s life, and being able to ascertain changes that call for a different response.”

A serious academic, an astute leader and a man of faith, Dr. Fong had a whimsical side too. His office showcased treasured baseball and bat collections, several statues and carvings of bears and a few glass bowls of M&Ms in the Ursinus colors of red, black and old gold.

He was an avid baseball fan and card collector, and was introduced to American culture through baseball. When he was traveling – which was often, as he valued the friendships he made with alumni across the country – he downloaded biographies of baseball players to his Kindle.

In his most recent State of the College address, which he gave annually each summer, he said that Ursinus is “dedicated to transforming students so that they can change the world,” and added that “other colleges may lay claim to some of the characteristics that define Ursinus but few truly embody them all.” He asked for a commitment “to these values and challenge one another to be unapologetic and proud in what we stand for, to form the self, the person, the soul.”

“This is our work, this is the calling to the lives we lead in the Ursinus community.”

“As you climb the ladder of success, always reach back and help someone behind you mount the next rung.”

“When I spoke with Bobby three weeks ago, he congratulated me on ‘my’ Phillies' three-pitcher no-hitter,” said Business and Economics Professor Heather O’Neill. “If you ever discussed baseball with Bobby, he learned and remembered which was ‘your’ team. He often attended the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., waiting all day to get the autographs of inductees for his impressive baseball card collection. He told me he hadn't attended this year, but couldn't wait for Derek Jeter's induction.

Bobby was a Yankee fan to the nth degree.”

The 29 Oscar Wilde texts that lined the top of one bookshelf in his office revealed his passion for the written word. Dr. Fong’s UCLA dissertation research formed the basis for his scholarship in the works of Oscar Wilde.

He was the editor of Poems and Poems in Prose, volume one in the Oxford English Texas edition of the Complete Works of Oscar Wilde.

“I’m one of the fortunate scholars who can actually laugh at his own scholarship,” said Dr. Fong. “Wilde can be profound, but he is also one of the funniest writers in the English language.”

His knowledge of Wilde also informed Dr. Fong’s deep belief in tolerance.

While working at another college, he chose to resign in protest of a decision not to hire a candidate for a position because the candidate was gay. “It was a way of keeping faith with Oscar,” he said. “To do otherwise would have been a betrayal of literary friendship.”

Dr. Fong and football coach Peter Gallagher run across the field before the 2011 Homecoming game against McDaniel.

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Dr. Bobby Fong and Desmond Tutu, the South African social rights activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid.

A portion of Bobby Fong’s collection of Oscar Wilde texts.

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Community

Reflects

At least once a week for the last three years, Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees John E. F. (Jef) Corson spoke with Bobby Fong. They talked about the processes and challenges involved in leading the College, but they also connected as friends. "He was one of the nicest people you could ever meet,"

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What art offers is space a certain breathing room for the spirit.

- John Updike

said Corson, who preceded Dr. Fong as interim president and was on the search committee that selected him as president.

“Bobby was committed to liberal arts education and especially to colleges like Ursinus that offered that model that he respected," said Corson, who is a parent of a 2004 graduate. "He was so enthusiastic about the faculty and the students here at Ursinus. In particular, he was proud that the faculty served as mentors for the students they taught and that they cared deeply about them.

Bobby felt that we all shared that responsibility for developing the hearts and minds of the students here and that our job was to prepare them for the life that follows the college experience."

Corson also described Fong as a man of tremendous faith. "That came through every time you spoke with him," he said. "He was an extremely kind and genuine person."

Part of his success as a leader was his ability to listen. Dr. Fong most enjoyed hearing the life stories of students, alumni, and community members. If they were fortunate, Dr. Fong, a good storyteller himself, would share with them stories of his childhood in Oakland’s Chinatown, where as a child of Chinese immigrants he developed a passion for baseball as a way to understand American life. Many of the recollections of Bobby Fong that poured in from

A collection of wooden baseball bats was a prized centerpiece in Bobby Fong’s office.

President Fong's office reflected the many interests and accomplishments of his life and career. College leadership, alumni, students and faculty gathered here at the center table for meetings on issues both small and large. Many described Bobby Fong as a discerning and quiet leader who listened carefully before weighing in on decisions. He is universally remembered for his scholarship but also for his caring and kind nature. This photo of his office allows readers to view some of the collections and memories he treasured and offers a personal view of the man Ursinus called president for the last three years.

Dr. Fong enjoyed collecting sculptures of bears, including this one which sat on a coffee table in his office. Most of his correspondence to alumni and students was signed "Go, Bears!"

the Ursinus community highlight his interest in connecting with others, his humor, his leadership, his integrity and his love of all things baseball.

Alan Novak 1971, Chair of the Ursinus Board of Trustees, shared that love of baseball with Dr. Fong. But he was most impressed by his ability to lead with quiet confidence. “Bobby was such a humble man,” says Novak, “and one of uncharacteristic strength and spirituality. He was a strong leader in a quiet way, very thoughtful, but he had a self-assurance that was unshakeable. He certainly was the right fit for Ursinus and was so proud of what the college is accomplishing.”

Much of Dr. Fong’s work in advocating for the future of the liberal arts and for Ursinus required him to travel to events and meetings across the country. "From his very first external alumni event in California, Bobby's warmth, charm, passion for liberal arts education, and values came shining through,” said Jill Leauber Marsteller 1978, Senior Vice President for Advancement. “And although he was among the finest intellectual leaders in higher education circles nationally, what remains foremost with many of us is Bobby's soul, for he was a man of deep faith and conviction who lived the life of purpose he wished for his students. We were privileged to have him as our president these past three years."

Students, both those whom he had taught and those he led as president, had a special connection with Dr. Fong, says Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Terry Winegar. “The moment I remember that best reflects the Bobby Fong that I knew was when I met with first-year faculty and asked about their classes,” said Winegar. “One of them told the story of asking students if they had memories of Bobby and every student in the class relayed a personal experience with him. It was in this way that I think of Bobby as remaining a teacher throughout his career as an academic administrator.”

Even as an administrator, Winegar said, Dr. Fong remained true to his academic roots. “What I valued most about Bobby Fong as a college president was that he never stopped being an academic,” said Winegar.

“He approached each situation as a scholar, asking probing questions and expecting cogent and enlightening answers, and as a teacher, imparting his experience and wisdom in a way that offered, but did not require that you accept. Bobby Fong was an unflinching advocate for liberal education.

He believed that a liberal arts education in a residential learning community was the best preparation for a lifetime of learning, citizenship and service.”

Inspiring is one of the words that Anthony Sierzega 2015 used to describe Dr. Fong. “President Fong’s dedication to the liberal arts should empower us all to live purposeful lives reflective of the values he left with this community, FALL 2014

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Dr. Fong posed with the Ursinus bear mascot shortly after being introduced to the campus.

qualities he exhibited his entire life. He led our community as he did those he led before us – by earning our respect for his character. Bobby won that respect through the gracious way he treated everyone he dealt with, from students, to faculty, to staff. When Bobby smiled his wonderful smile and said ‘hello, friend,’ as he greeted everyone, you felt like he meant it.”

In his short time here, faculty began to think about liberal education in new ways. “First, his interest in students’ welfare was not confined to their four years at Ursinus but extended to helping them find fulfilling life work after graduation,” Hemphill explained. “Second, his concern for humanity made him nudge the community towards education that engages the needs of the world. These were the caring goals of a lovely man. We should honor his memory by keeping up the good work that he encouraged.”

to pursue an education dedicated to promoting the well-being of others, and to become agents of change that inspire our communities to smile like Bobby Fong,” Sierzega said at the memorial held for Bobby Fong on Sept. 20 in Bomberger Hall.

It was President Fong’s warmth and generosity that will be remembered, said Ursinus Board Member Aakash Shah 2010. Shah, the first Rhodes Scholar at Ursinus and now a third year student at Harvard Medical School, said Dr. Fong had a sincere interest in those around him. “It perfectly embodied what it means to be part of the Ursinus family,” said Shah, currently doing his rotations at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Coupled with his commitment to the liberal arts, it allowed him to inspire countless students to wrestle with the hard questions, clarify their core values, and take on the great challenges of our day. He represents the best of what Ursinus can be and will be deeply missed.”

It was his thoughtful approach to every issue that Associate Professor of Biology Rebecca Lyczak will remember. “It was always clear that Bobby respected each member of the faculty and staff, and was willing to consider each person’s point of view,” said Lyczak. “He was a president who truly listened, who fostered an environment of trust and understanding.”

Dr. Fong recognized individual and collective strengths of the faculty, she added, and fostered their work as teachers and scholars. “Bobby clearly articulated the liberal arts mission of Ursinus, and challenged us all to do our best work to realize that mission for our students. He was approachable and kind.”

With Dr. Fong’s passing, Ursinus has lost a friend and a champion for education, said Biology Professor Becky Kohn. “As college president he influenced the lives of students, faculty members, staff members and administrators. He believed in our ability to make a difference in this world, just as he did so himself.”

Although he was an expert administrator, he was also a man who understood and appreciated the arts, says Professor of Theater Domenick Scudera.

“I was most appreciative of his support for Ursinus's theater and dance programs, support that was not perfunctory. He and Suzanne were frequent theatergoers to our productions. It was evident when he saw a performance that he was ‘present,’ an active audience member. He always had kind words to share after a show.”

Dallett Hemphill, Professor of History and American Studies, who was a member of the presidential search committee, has no doubts that “although we had a number of very strong candidates we all agreed Bobby was the best." It was exhilarating introducing him to the campus community and sharing his inspiring story, she recalled. “Bobby brought to Ursinus the

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Staff also felt a strong connection with Dr. Fong. Sustainability Program Coordinator Brandon Hoover said, “Bobby was humble in his position as President,” he said. “He treated people as an equal, and from my experience, valued opinion and ideas. This humility served him well as an educator. In his position as president, Bobby advocated for the education of 'whole people,' not just of the mind. He recognized the transformational power of education, for individual and society, and called others with him to serve in their community, nation, and world. His loss is a communal loss, not just for Ursinus, but the community of educators he has impacted.”

Many of those across the campus, and beyond the Gateway, recall their relationship with Dr. Fong. Community relations were important to him and he valued the civic leadership in the Collegeville area. Cathy Kernen, President of the Collegeville Economic Development Corporation, said the community is feeling a profound sense of loss. “He and Suzanne made it a priority to support the Collegeville Farmers’ Market, the non-profit Collegeville Economic Development Corp. (CEDC), and most of all, the entire Collegeville community,” said Kernen. “Because of Dr. Fong’s commitment, a strong partnership now exists between the campus and the community. That legacy will live on after him, along with the memory of Bobby as both a valued leader and as a warm, caring individual who made every person he met feel special.”

Tony Lobo, Associate Professor of Biology, said despite his role as a leader in higher education, he was able to make those around him feel comfortable and unintimidated. “Bobby was a warm, humble man who made me feel completely at ease in his presence,” said Lobo. “He had wonderful stories about almost any topic, which he would always tell with a twinkle in his eye. I am grateful to have known him, and I will miss his smile and his laugh. I may even find myself rooting for the Yankees now and then!”

“Bobby believed with all his heart in the transformative power of an Ursinus education,” said his wife, Suzanne Fong.

Bobby and Suzanne Fong on a walking tour of England in 2009.

This photo was on the ruins of Crackpot Hill. The 192-mile trek was to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary.

A Voice for Excellence At the memorial service for President Bobby Fong, his son Colin said his father’s mission was to improve the world through education.

from the Ursinus Meistersingers and a presentation of Oscar Wilde quotes performed by Ursinus students who were cast members in this fall's play, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

In a blend of sorrow and sentiment, the Ursinus community including alumni, family, friends and colleagues from the higher education community gathered on campus Sept. 20, 2014 to memorialize Bobby Fong’s life and to celebrate his commitment to higher education. He was lauded as a leader who redefined the landscape of the liberal arts and a visionary whose work and impact in the field of education will last far into the future.

Speakers at the memorial service included Alan Novak 1971, Chair of the Ursinus Board of Trustees; Terry Winegar, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs; Carol Schneider, President of the Association of American Colleges and Universities; Dr. Kenyon Chan, Interim Chancellor at University of Washington Tacoma; Jill A. Leauber Marsteller 1978, Senior Vice President for Advancement; Charles Rice, Campus Chaplain; Rabbi MichaelRamberg, Director of Hillel; Anthony Sierzega who represented the Class of 2015; Missy Bryant, Assistant Dean of Students; Dallett Hemphill, Professor of History; and Colin Fong.

The ceremony was held in Bomberger Hall, with additional seating in Olin Hall.

It included a poignant slide show of family photographs, live performances

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Dr. Fong enjoyed talking with students as he walked across campus.

Man on a

MISSION Colin Fong told those gathered to honor Bobby Fong that his mother, Suzanne, and his brother, Jonathan, always referred to their father as ‘a man on a mission.’ His father’s mission, he said, was to improve the world through the education and development of the stu­dents he was responsible for- both as a teacher and an administrator.

Our family always referred to my father as a man on a mission. His life mission is one that you are all perfectly familiar with. He sought to better the world

forward was speculation towards what the next step should be. Because of this, his mission was never ending. He knew his life’s goal was something he could

through the education and development of the students he was responsible forboth as a teacher and an administrator. He believed to his very core that liberal education is the key to addressing the challenges our society faces. He went into college administration because he wanted to shape an environment that pushes all young people to realize their own potential- potential that will help to resolve the challenges of tomorrow. He wanted his students to be comfortable with people from all cultures, from different religions, from all walks of life. He lived for the success of those whose lives he touched, and worked tirelessly for the betterment of his college and his community.

never achieve as an individual, and he would admit this openly when I spoke with him.

What you all may not know is how fundamental “missions” were to every facet of his life. I can’t count the number of times that we would go shopping, and without a word he would just wander away. His head high, he would stride with unwavering steps through the mall, deaf to the confused protests of his family…

Only to reappear later triumphantly waving that one specific brand of socks he had seen in Consumer Reports, grinning from ear to ear and glowing with the knowledge that he had set a goal and accomplished it.

That expression of triumph was reserved for the completion of missions. I remember seeing it anytime we got his favorite “Wellfleet Mix” ice cream on Cape Cod, anytime he completed a home improvement project (those tended to be somewhat daunting for him), and certainly when he mapped out all the rides at Disney World and rode every single one in a single day. It was the look he would have had when he finally tracked down the seven cards he needed for a complete set of Topps baseball cards.

One thing that always struck me about my father was that he never got that triumphant expression when he spoke of his work. There is no question that he had an amazingly successful career and had a positive influence on thousands of lives – your presence here today is evidence of that – yet he never exuded the same sense of accomplishment when I spoke to him about his success at work as when I spoke to him about his new pair of socks.

When we had conversations about the direction of the college, he would assume an air of belief and contemplation, but not of triumph. Any comments I made on his success would be met with a look of quiet pride, but also a tinge of uncertainty. He had a vision for the world he wanted to create, for the person he wanted to be and for the community he wanted to be a part of, and he was forever seeking ways to make that vision a reality. The aftermath of every step

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Instead of focusing on his own accomplishments, he would usually steer our conversation towards the factors that allowed him to be successful. Of all the lessons he taught his two sons, there is one in particular that I want to share with you. As an advocate of liberal education, he frequently emphasized the importance of critical thinking. However, the underlying foundation of his character was not scholarship and critical thought, but rather tolerance and compassion.

Christianity provided the structure for this foundation in his life. His faith gave him the strength to always put the needs of others ahead of his own, and to strive ahead when times were uncertain.

However, he was not one to force his beliefs on others. He frequently spoke about his faith because that was the cornerstone from which he built his own life philosophy. However, he also realized that the spiritual road he traveled is not one that we can all follow. So the lesson that he pressed upon us most adamantly is this: regardless of what you believe, regardless of whether or not you adhere to a religion, your actions should always be shaped by the needs of others, and never by your own desires. This is the way he lived, and it is the way he wanted us to live.

My father recognized that in order to address another person’s opinion, you must first understand it- and in order to understand that person’s opinion, you must appreciate the circumstances that create their point of view. This is why tolerance, the acceptance of others, and compassion, the ability to empathize with others, are the cornerstone of critical thought, and thus a cornerstone of liberal education as well.

This is the message that I want to leave you all with today. The secret to his success is that he loved you all just as he loved his own family, and lived to see you succeed. If we as a community- his students, his colleagues, his friends and his family- if we strive each day to recognize the needs of those around us, to make ourselves available to those that need us, to inform the way we learn and the way we live with opinions and beliefs that we don’t agree with, we will create the culture of higher learning he fostered his entire life. As long as the decisions we make are based on tolerance and acceptance above all else, then I know that wherever my father is right now, he’ll get that grin on his face, and that glow of triumph knowing his mission is accomplished.

Written by Colin Fong, who shared this tribute to his father at the Ursinus Memorial for Dr. Bobby Fong, Sept. 20, 2014.

An Impact Far Beyond the Gateway Bobby Fong’s Insight and Compassion will be Greatly Missed Lesley Katz 1987 Samantha Earp

“I was fortunate to have met Dr. Bobby Fong not long after he came to Ursinus.

His unassuming nature, true interest in those he was speaking to, and his thirst for knowledge of any source was truly impressive. I hope that he understood how loved he was when he was alive – because the outpouring of affection and respect really speaks to what an impact he had on the world around him.”

Executive Director of HarvardX

Samantha spoke of Bobby as her former teacher. She wrote she had the good fortune of having Bobby Fong as a professor for a year at Berea College in the 1980’s. “He taught a required course on Religious and Historical Perspectives, she said, and the syllabus came alive under Dr. Fong’s skillful and inclusive leadership. That course, and the experience of him as a humane, egalitarian and provocative teacher – long before ‘active learning’ became a buzzword – have stuck with me for the nearly 30 years hence,” said Earp.

Helen Brabant-Bleakley 2018 “Bobby radiated warmth and everyone he met could feel it.

I came to Ursinus because I knew that any place he chose to put so much time and effort into would radiate the same warmth. I was right and I know that that feeling will last even though he's no longer here.”

James Danko

Dr. Robert J. Schneider

President of Butler University

President Danko, who succeeded Bobby’s tenure, talked of Bobby’s altruistic nature. “From the very first time I met him, right up until his passing, he demonstrated a consistent and thoughtful concern for Butler University, and sincere and gracious support as I worked to build upon his most significant legacy,” says Danko.

Retired professor of Classical Sudies from Berea College

“We were colleagues and friends at Berea College. He never knew how much I admired his good nature, intelligence, love of learning and scholarship, love of teaching and students, fidelity to Berea’s Commitments, and zest for life,” Schneider says.

Jessica L. Holt 2004 “President Fong came to Ursinus long after I had graduated, yet I was greatly impressed with his vision, dedication, and passion for not only Ursinus but the students, faculty, parents, and alumni. I had the pleasure of having lunch with him and his wife this past June at the Phillies alumni event and I will remember fondly the excitement we shared talking about the growth of the college and increasing involvement of alumni.”

Patricia Lawson

Associate Vice President for Government & Community Relations at Gettysburg College

Patricia met Bobby Fong when they were on Capitol Hill as part of an Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania delegation. “As we waited for our appointment, President Fong treated me to an iced chai and we had a lovely conversation that ranged from our visit on Capitol Hill, his academic interests, his excitement at being president of Ursinus College and his family, who he spoke about with such love and pride,” said Lawson. “I was so impressed by his openness and humility.”

Brian Kennedy 2015 Politics and International Relations major and Vice President of Ursinus Student Government

“Dr. Fong was the ultimate embodiment of the quiet leader. He wasn’t one to make a rousing speech. He would find exactly the right person at the right time to do something big, and have a friendly conversation with them.”

Alex Harwood 2012 “I met Dr. Bobby Fong, with the rest of the Boston Ursinus community, at the Samuel Adams brewery; even then, I was struck by his humble dignity and integrity. He was a sweet man who valued everyone, a quiet, unassuming intellectual who tended to – when I had the privilege to speak with him on campus occasionally – coax opinions rather than advise.”

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Aqu Dr. Colin T. McDermott (2007) and his colleagues examine a snake necked turtle recovering from pneumonia.

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Photo: Hilary Schwab

OnatCal l the

National

quarium

By Kathryn Campbell

Veterinarian Colin T. McDermott has taken his passion for biology, animal science and medicine to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. McDermott is the Helen Swearer Fellow in Aquarium Science and Veterinary Medicine at the National Aquarium and Education Committee Chair for the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians. His job as a member of the Aquarium’s veterinary team means caring for invertebrates, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals such as bats, sloths, and dolphins.

In addition, he helped develop a veterinary focused behind-the-scenes tour for the public.

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{

“As a kid, my first pet was a green water dragon named Godzilla,” says McDermott. (He later learned Godzilla was a female, but by then the name had stuck.) When she became ill, McDermott and his mother spent two weeks searching for a reptile vet. Sadly, it wasn’t in time to save Godzilla.

“It is one of the major reasons I decided to become a reptile veterinarian; I wanted to help more reptiles that needed veterinary attention,” says McDermott. After Godzilla died, McDermott found a job working at a local pet store in Delran, New Jersey. His interest in reptiles and amphibians grew and so did his collection.

“I do really like reptiles,” he says.

y mid-morning, veterinarian Colin McDermott already has made several rounds visiting his patients at the National Aquarium. Contained within a workspace of 2.4 million gallons of water, his cases run a wide spectrum. The living exhibits here hold more than 17,000 animals from approximately 700 species. From the common cockroach to stingrays, Giant Pacific Octopus, dolphins and even sloths, McDermott must keep current on any issues within the living collection.

B

}

an annual checkup of one of the Aquarium’s sandbar sharks. The routine exam to collect bloodwork requires a delicate wrangling that shuttles the shark through several doors and gates until it is contained in a tub-like area for its exam. All the while, water must flow around the shark.

“It’s a safe procedure that takes about 12 people working together to do it correctly,” says McDermott. “We actually are more concerned about the shark becoming stressed during the exam, than we are about getting bitten,” he says. “The sharks and rays are great to work with.”

His day begins before 8 a.m., with a meeting with the Aquarium’s four other veterinarians, as well as students and technicians, to discuss the treatment and procedures planned for the day. “Having to care for so many different species, we need to know about all their needs,” says McDermott. “But the greatest reward is seeing that they feel better and are back to their normal behavior as a result of our care.”

The exciting nature of his work might be an everyday experience for McDermott, but it’s quite an accomplishment for someone who was afraid of dogs until the age of five. Eventually, a loveable golden retriever helped him overcome that fear and by the sixth grade McDermott had earned his Boy Scout merit badge in reptile and amphibian care.

There was the case of the four-inch salamander with a leg partially destroyed as a result of another salamander’s attack. It will eventually grow back, he says, a miracle of regeneration in this species. He also tended to a snake necked turtle with a respiratory infection. Later, he and colleagues complete

“As a kid, my first pet was a green water dragon named Godzilla,” says McDermott. (He later learned Godzilla was a female, but by then the name had stuck.) When she became ill, McDermott and his mother spent two weeks searching for a reptile vet. Sadly, it wasn’t in time to save Godzilla.

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Pacific Sea Nettles Chrysaora fuscescens

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“It is one of the major reasons I decided to become a reptile veterinarian, I wanted to help more reptiles that needed veterinary attention,” says McDermott. After Godzilla died, McDermott found a job working at a local pet store in Delran, New Jersey. His interest in reptiles and amphibians grew and so did his collection. “I do really like reptiles,” he says.

By the time he arrived at Ursinus, he knew he would study biology and quickly found a second home working in the lab of Professor Ellen Dawley, who researches limb regeneration in lizards, turtles and frogs.

“Colin was nearly obsessed with reptiles,” recalls Dr. Dawley. “He was very keen to do a research project involving lizard tail regeneration, which we carried out both in the field in Costa Rica and in the lab, looking at rates of regeneration in Anoles lizards. The Costa Rica project involved Colin and his teammates attempting to capture these gigantic spiny black iguanas, which he did with tremendous daring and joie de vivre.”

Spiny black iguanas are quite abundant at some sites, says Dr. Dawley. They can be found sunbathing on top of the field station buildings and draped on branches in trees. “I was very happy to work with Colin as he showed all those attributes of a successful scholar: curiosity, self-motivation, creativity, and intelligence. On top of that, he has a great sense of humor and was fun to be around.”

Colin McDermott Class of 2007, graduated with a major in biology and a minor in Lat­in.

“Our hope,” says McDermott, “is that visitors come away with an apprecia­tion for what it takes to keep all of our animals healthy, both the animals at the aquarium and the wild animals we treat through our National Aquarium Animal Rescue.”

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After graduating from Ursinus in 2007 with a major in biology and a minor in Lat­in, McDermott went to vet school at the University of Pennsylvania from 2007-2011. The rigorous course load did not deter him and a summer course called Aquavet fueled his interested in learning more about veterinary medicine for aquarium animals. “I graduated from vet school and stayed at the University of Pennsylvania School of Vet Medicine for two years as an intern in the Exotic Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery department treating pet exotics,” says McDermott.

He took a position as the Helen Swearer Fellow in Aquarium Science and Veterinary Medicine at the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. “My job was to help close down the aquarium there and help move the 1,500 fish, reptiles and amphibians out to zoos and aquariums across North America.”

When that enormous task was complete, he transitioned to the National Aquarium in Baltimore to continue his veterinary fellowship.

In addition to the daily care of the Aquarium’s animals, McDermott enjoys working with the Aquarium Animal Rescue Program. When a marine mammal or sea turtle is found stranded or injured, the Aquarium staff will work to coordinate a rescue, rehabilitation and then release of the animal.

The most recent project involved the release of 13 sea turtles off the Maryland coast this April. The Aquarium is a member of the larger Northeast

Stranding Network (NERS) through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“Our mission at the National Aquarium is to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures and Colin is one of our most passionate ambassadors,” says Kate Rowe, Media Relations Manager at the National Aquarium.

“Our new Veterinary Immersion Tour is just one of the ways people can enjoy education. Watching kids, and adults, on Colin's tours is one of my favorite things – he really helps them connect with the animals and what we do. And ultimately, we want these people to feel connected. Through our living collection, education programs, conservation events and partnerships, we hope to change the way people view the ocean, so they are inspired to preserve and protect it.”

McDermott wants the public to become more involved in learning about the work of the Aquarium. He has started a program this year with staff to show visitors a veterinary behind-the-scenes tour at the Aquarium. “We go over animal cases here, work on reading radiographs, and show people how to check for parasites on fish,” says McDermott. “It is a new program here and the only veterinarian-run behind-the-scenes tour in the country. It has been one of our more popular tours.”

The veterinary immersion tours started in February 2014 as a way to get the general public to see what the veterinarians here do to keep the animals healthy.

“We walk through the veterinary back-up areas throughout the aquarium and discuss what is involved in an annual exam for our different animals, including how we determine if an animal is healthy and how we get things like bloodwork and radiographs of them,” he says. Guests are able to look at radiographs to determine if there is anything wrong with them, and also take part examining a live amphibian and getting a heart rate from the animal.

Much of the tour is used to discuss how the staff works with fish, how they assess if fish are healthy, and how to look for and treat parasites.

“Our hope,” says McDermott, “is that visitors come away with an appreciation for what it takes to keep all of our animals healthy, both the animals at the aquarium and the wild animals we treat through our National Aquarium Animal Rescue.” n To see a video of Dr. McDermott at work please visit www.ursinus.edu/aquarium

5 TOOLS

every aquarium vet needs

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Passion for helping animals True for all veterinary or animal care jobs.

You need to have a strong desire to work with these animals and keep them healthy above all else.

Great support staff Without the proper staff around you, you could be a great vet but accomplish nothing.

The keepers, curators, veterinary technicians, and even administrative staff need to all be on board and working together to make it all work.

Creativity Since there are no set pieces of equipment for surgeries on some of the more exotic animals we work with, we need to

Flashlight Not only good for looking into animals' mouths, but also great for looking at animals in low light or in

use some ingenuity and problem-solving skills to in some cases make your own equipment to make everything move smoothly and efficiently.

darker enclosures.

Stethoscope or doppler Getting a heart rate on any animal is essential for checking their overall health. Stethoscopes work great for birds and mammals, but you will need a doppler probe to listen to reptiles, amphibians and fish.

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TOP 5

exhibits at the national aquarium 1. Blacktip Reef Our newest exhibit, now one year old, that contains more than 700 animals of about 70 different species. The underwater viewing area is a must-see, and really makes you feel like you are standing underwater with all of the fish going by.

2. Upland Tropical Rain Forest This has been a favorite exhibit of mine since first visiting as a child many years ago. Each time you go to the forest, you have the chance to see something new; maybe you will see the sloths a little closer, or maybe a species of bird you didn't see the first time through. It's worth checking it out at different times of the day in the same visit.

3. Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes My favorite thing about this exhibit is that when walking through, you not only have the tanks and exhibits to see at eye level, but you also have the birds and bats above you (something that people can miss when rushing through). Take the time to look up and watch for different species of birds in this exhibit.

4. Dolphin Discovery Since we've changed the format for this exhibit a few years ago, you can spend as much time as you would like in the Dolphin Discovery area. You can see our marine mammal staff working on different behaviors throughout the day, or take the time to sit and watch the dolphins swim around and interact with one another.

5. Invertebrates: Giant Pacific Octopus, Peacock Mantis Shrimp and Jellyfish These are some of the more unique animals in our collection. If you are lucky, you could catch a glimpse of our Peacock Mantis Shrimp, whose eyes can see in 16 separate colors (we can only see 3), and they can move their front claw as fast as a gunshot to stun and kill prey. The octopus is an amazing animal, and you could catch it opening up toys and playing with different puzzles throughout the day. The jellyfish exhibit is a great chance to see multiple species of these amazing and surprisingly complex animals.

Two Toed Sloth

Harbor Seal

Tursiops truncatus

Phoca vitulina

Photo Courtesy of the National Aquarium

Bottlenose Dolphin

Photo Courtesy of the National Aquarium

Choloepus hoffmanni

Giant Leaf Frog

Phyllomedusa Bicolor

Photo Courtesy of the National Aquarium

Photo Courtesy of the National Aquarium

As seen in the aquarium exhibit "Amazon River Forest"

Sand Tiger Shark Carcharias taurus

Giant Pacific Octopus Octopus dofleini

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Illustration: Roy Scott

To WITH

O LVE After the fire of war, a friendship nurtures healing

By Kathryn Campbell

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andlocked, packed with wildlife and awash in natural resources, Uganda is sometimes called the Pearl of Africa. It is, though, a place of dangerous contrasts. A volatile political landscape has kept Ugandan factions at the center of warfare for decades. Jennifer Anyayo, who lives in the northern town of Gulu, was just one victim. As a child, she was severely burned when rebels attacked her home and set it ablaze with her inside.

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Sue Fernandez 1964 first learned about the horrors endured by Anyayo, who was about nine years old when the attack happened, through a newspaper article. “I jumped right up off of my chair and I just knew, somehow, I had to help this girl,” says Fernandez, her eyes growing wide as she recalled the day in 2005.

She tracked down Carolyn Davis, the Philadelphia Inquirer reporter who wrote the story. “She was as pleasant as she was persistent in following up to see how she could help,” says Davis, who began writing about Anyayo after

"Jennifer had to endure so much pain because of her burns, then multiple surgeries and repairs over many months of her young life; she will never look ‘normal’ yet has a spirit and happiness about her that is infectious. She smiles, sings and dances and is grateful for everything in her life.

I really admire her for that.”

visiting Uganda in 2004 and meeting the girl in a camp for people displaced by the war. At the time, Davis was documenting the lives of those impacted by the country’s most recent civil war. In addition to the physical pain from wounds that had healed poorly, the young girl’s face was disfigured and part of her arm amputated. Some shunned her. Davis says Fernandez was one of many readers desperate to know how they could help.

Galvanized by Davis, the readers became volunteers working to arrange a trip to the U.S. for medical care and school while she was away from home.

On Christmas Eve, 2005, Anyayo arrived in Philadelphia with Abitimo Rebecca Odongkara, her medical guardian. Anyayo says her biggest surprise in coming to the US for the first time was, “that I thought [it] was some place located in the sky! I got there when it was snowing, so I was to see it for the first time. I must confess that I had a good time meeting new people, making friends. I thought before I left for the U.S., ‘will these white people associate with a person like me?’ I was scared, but I was excitingly surprised that my feeling was wrong.”

The group became invaluable in their assistance to Anyayo while she received surgeries and therapy, says Davis, especially because the project was not sponsored by one organized group. The doctors, schools and families who cared for her donated their time and skills. “Sue was the point person in getting Jennifer to her appointments with the hand surgeon in Philadelphia,” says Davis. “She went beyond that role to befriend Jennifer and learn about her dreams and interests.”

After 17 months and multiple reconstructive surgeries, Anyayo was ready to go home. Fernandez made a solemn promise to visit her in Uganda. “Sue is more of a mother, than just a friend,” Anyayo recently wrote in an email. “Sue exhibits true love. She is a wonderful person! And I love her so much.”

The friendship between Fernandez and Anyayo has deepened since her first U.S. visit. “Having had Jennifer in my life has made me more aware of the similarities and differences between our lives,” says Fernandez. “It has made me more aware of people in this country who have everything, and yet complain about their lives, and people living in poverty with bad things being done to them, yet they are happy.

Jennifer had to endure so much pain because of her burns, then multiple surgeries and repairs over many months of her young life; she will never look ‘normal’ yet has a spirit and happiness about her that is infectious. She smiles, sings and dances and is grateful for everything in her life. I really admire her for that.”

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Photo: Dan Johnson

"I just knew, somehow, I had to help this girl,� says Fernandez.

Fernandez looking up at the windows in Bomberger Hall during a recent visit to campus.

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On June 8, 2013, Fernandez made good on her promise, flying from Newark, N.J., through Zurich, Switzerland, and then on to Kenya. Among her baggage, she had packed a laptop as a special gift for Anyayo. She spent two weeks in the Nairobi area with the founder and CEO of Harambee Institute and human rights activist Kathleen "Keen" Harrison, attending the "Conference on Justice and Peace.”

She left Kenya and flew to Entebbe, Uganda, on June 22. Then there was a nine-hour drive over rocky terrain north to Gulu. “I was able to see Jennifer for a few hours as she needed permission from her school administrators to leave the premises of her school to visit with me,” says Fernandez. “We took pictures there and at another school where she had been a student before she was brought to the U.S.” Meeting Anyayo’s family and having a first hand sense of her daily life was rewarding, she says. “I spent several days in Gulu seeing the area where Jennifer has lived her entire life.” Today, Anyayo is especially interested in

{

biology, chemistry and writing. The two have stayed in touch and shared their news, including the birth of Anyayo’s daughter, Guma, in October 2013.

Anyayo says that Guma, now almost a year old, is doing well. “I am busy at school and taking other responsibilities at home,” says Anyayo, who is in her early 20s now. “Part of my life story is that I love reaching out to people who are heartbroken, consoling them. I naturally love counselling and this is one of my ambitions that I would like to accomplish in the future. I also have in mind the plan to start an orphanage if all goes well.”

When Fernandez returned to Philadelphia she shared her experiences with Davis, who had brought them all together. As she talked about Anyayo and the journey, recalls Davis, she glowed.

To see Jennifer Anyayo’s school and hear her greetings from Uganda, visit online here www.ursinus.edu/uganda - Video courtesy of Sue Fernandez. n

Happiness Happiness Oh, happiness. Every morning I wake up thinking there are birds that bring roses to cast happiness into my heart.

These birds bring smile on my face.

Happiness! Happiness!

What a beautiful feeling.

I can't even figure out what it is that make my day delightful!

Happiness! Happiness!

What are these beautiful roses?

What is this sweet relief from my every stress?

Oh,happiness, I now know what the beautiful roses are, my sweet darling Guma Madeline Roach is my roses and sweet relief from stress.

- A poem by Jennifer Anyayo, survivor of civil war in Uganda

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}

7 Jennifer and Abitimo Rebecca Odongkara, her medical guardian, in an empty classroom in Uganda.

“Unfortunately, we continue to document abuses by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) outside Uganda. And while Northern Uganda is starting to see some benefits of the end of the war there, much remains to ensuring human rights are respected and protected throughout Uganda,” says Maria Burnett, Senior Africa Researcher at Human Rights Watch. “After 28 years in office, President Yoweri Museveni’s government is increasingly suppressing freedom of assembly, expression, and association while escalating threats to civil society. Activists who research land, human rights, and corruption sometimes face harassment and threats, while opposition politicians are regularly prevented from holding public rallies.”

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Photo: Joan Fairman Kanes

The Honorable (and beloved) J. William Ditter, Jr. 1943, celebrates his 50th year on the bench

The

Gentleman 26

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Judge

By Ellen Cosgrove Labrecque 1995

T

he 92-year-old judge, John William Ditter, Jr., exudes grace.

Well-dressed with a thick head of white hair, he greets guests in chambers like old friends. The judge offers a cup of coffee and quickly starts in on a joke or story.

Ditter has served in two wars and sat on the bench for 50 years. He was named a federal judge after President Richard Nixon nominated him to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 1970.

He assumed senior status in 1986 and according to Business Insider, he is one of the 15 oldest federal judges serving today.

“Three things of certainty I learned from my late father,” the judge says. “First, you cannot climb a fence that’s leaning toward you. Second, you cannot kiss a girl who’s leaning away from you. And third, you cannot with full grace due, accept the praise and honors that are bestowed upon you in life.”

The photographs, artwork, and plaques covering the walls of his chambers tell the story of a man dedicated to his family, his country, and his college. (A painting of Bomberger Hall is prominently displayed.) A master storyteller, he shares one engaging tale after another as he points out each memento.

“I have a story for everything,” he says with a laugh.

Judge Ditter retired as a captain in the U.S. Navy after serving in both World War II and the Korean War. He was married for over 60 years to Verna Bock Ditter. The two met as students at Ursinus, and she passed away in 2005. They raised four sons, John William III (who died in 2013), George, Robert, and David. Now there are eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

The judge was a beekeeper, a talented softball player, and an avid skier into his eighties. He has a keen memory and is universally respected as the funniest Christmas letter writer of all time.

“Bill’s humor is legendary,” says his friend and fellow Judge William H. Yohn.

“It is dry, witty, and very funny in a self-deprecating way. He seems to pull a story for every occasion from his large repertoire, and it is never the same story.”

Judge Ditter was a member of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office for almost 10 years. At the same time, he maintained a private law practice with his sister, Mabel Ditter Sellers, 1939. He became a judge in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in 1964 and on October 8, 1970, was confirmed by the United States Senate as Federal Judge.

Growing up in Lower Gwynedd, PA., his mother, Mabel, was a homemaker and his father, John William Ditter, was a Congressman from the 17th District of Pennsylvania from 1933 until his death in an airplane crash in 1943.

Congressman Ditter was a member of the appropriations committee and the subcommittee on Navy Department appropriations. The U.S. Navy credits Congressman Ditter with a leading role in establishing a two-ocean Navy.

When he died, the Navy named a destroyer-minesweeper after him, the USS J. William Ditter (DM-31). (A beautiful drawing of the ship hangs in Judge Ditter's chambers.) The chapel at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station also bears his name.

The Judge followed his older sister, Mabel, to Ursinus. As a student he was introduced to his future wife, Verna, who was the sister of a classmate, Lou Bock 1948. Verna was the secretary for the college’s President Norman McClure and Vice President Donald Helfferich.

“She was this beautiful, vivacious girl,” says the Judge, a twinkle in his eye when talking about his wife. “I took her to a dance, fell completely in love with her, and never had a date with anyone else again.” The couple was married the year after Ditter graduJudge Ditter proudly served in the U.S. Navy. ated. With Verna by his side, his career flourished.

Today Judge Ditter presides over the reduced caseload of a senior judge.

But throughout his career, he presided over many cases, some of which were historic and front-page worthy, such as an early airplane hijacking case and the Reading Railroad bankruptcy. Yet, in speaking with lawyers who have tried cases in his courtroom, they all emphasize his humility and kindness.

“He is a Judge of uncommon courtesy and chivalry on and off the bench,” says Gene E.K. Pratter, a U.S. District Judge, as well a former lawyer who tried cases in front of Judge Ditter. “From Bill Ditter, I have learned that a judge should work calmly, with integrity, treating every human being in the courtroom with dignity.”

Judge Ditter is also a great student of history, with a particular interest in the Civil War. He is a founding member of the Historical Society of the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and remains chairman of its calendar committee. Each year he works with the committee to publish a calendar that highlights and illustrates cases decided in the Eastern District court. It is the only calendar of its kind and a copy is provided to every federal judge in the nation.

Over his years on the bench he has seen the federal court change, both in number of sitting judges, and in the expansion of its jurisdiction. But Judge Ditter remains the same fair-minded and gentlemanly judge he was when he first started his career 50 years ago.

“Judge Ditter is the kind of judge you turn to your client and say ‘we are going to get a totally fair hearing here,’ ” says Pratter. “His approach to life and his courtroom is to have the highest moral ground, but never in a preachy way.

Judge Ditter continues to be the best, and bring out the best in everybody around him.” n FALL 2014

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TREATING the

WHOLE PERSON 28

URSINUS MAGAZINE

By Ellen Cosgrove Labrecque 1995

This past spring, the American Psychiatric Association honored Dr. Sheldon Wagman as a 2013 Distinguished Life Fellow.

One of the highest honors a psychiatrist can receive, he was one of only 15 selected worldwide.

s a biology major at Ursinus, Sheldon Wagman knew he would pursue a career in medicine. After graduating in 1959, he attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and through specialty rotations ultimately pursued psychiatry. “Even though patients were very ill, I felt comfortable with them,” he says. “I knew I could help them.”

former Midwestern student Dr. Amie Kafer, now a psychiatrist at Desert Vista Health in Mesa, Arizona. “He told us that even if your patients are yelling, you don’t take it personally. They are sick and they need your help.”

A

Although recently retired from Midwestern, Wagman continues to maintain his private practice. He is also the psychiatric consultant for Psychological Counseling Services, providing psychiatric evaluations for patients entering the program. In addition to clinical practice, Wagman enjoys sharing his experiences and knowledge with other physicians through speaking presentations.

For more than twenty-five years, Wagman practiced at Friends Hospital in Philadelphia as Assistant Director of the Adolescent Inpatient Program, one of the first such programs in the area. The involvement with young people; their treatment, growth and ultimate recovery was a privilege, he says.

Dr. Wagman treated many patients who were turned away from other hospitals because doctors there could only treat them medically. With his approach, he was able to treat their emotional and psychiatric difficulties.

“Even though patients were very ill, I felt comfortable with them,” says Dr. Sheldon Wagman 1959. “I knew I could help them.”

“Under long-term individualized care, very sick patients can flourish,“ he says. Treating the young person, along with the patient’s family, was part of the holistic philosophical community approach of The Young People’s Unit at Friends Hospital.

In 1996, Midwestern Osteopathic College of Chicago opened a campus in Glendale, AZ. With the opportunity to experience a different aspect of working with young people, Wagman joined the faculty as Director and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry. It provided an opportunity to undertake the challenge of providing medical students with their initial introduction to psychiatry.

“Dr.Wagman taught us how to treat patients with empathy and compassion,” says

“When Dr. Wagman speaks, it is like he is having a fireside chat,” says Teri Harnisch, Executive Director of the Arizona Psychiatric Society. “He connects with you personally. After listening to him, every person in the audience leaves as a better person, and a better doctor.”

This past spring, Wagman celebrated his 55th reunion at Ursinus. Despite the growth and new buildings, his return to campus felt like a homecoming, he says. “The campus tour was such an eye opener of progress.”

Having grown up in Burlington, N.J., Wagman knew and admired Dean and then President William Schuyler Pettit (1970-1976) who was also a Burlington, NJ native. Both Dean Pettit and Wagman’s brother, Sidney (Class of 1951) encouraged Wagman to attend Ursinus. Reflecting on his undergraduate education and what part it played in the physician he is today, Wagman says his liberal arts degree provided him with an education that was well-rounded. “Through the years,” he says, “I truly learned this is the best approach in medicine as well.” n

“Dr. Wagman is such a dedicated and caring psychiatrist, a gentleman, and a supportive peer,” says Teri Harnisch, Executive Director of the Arizona Psychiatric Society, who encouraged Dr. Wagman to apply for the Distinguished Life Fellow Award. “His distinction of Distinguished Life Fellow is truly deserved.”

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in memoriam Blanche B. Schultz 1941, Professor of Mathematics Emerita Blanche B. Schultz, beloved Professor of Mathematics Emerita, died June 23 at the age of 93. A memorial service was held in Bomberger Auditorium on August 9.

Professor Schultz, a resident of Brittany Pointe Estates in Lansdale, PA., was born in Palm, PA. She grew up in Collegeville, and played field hockey for Collegeville High School. She graduated from Ursinus College in 1941 with a degree in mathematics, and helped John Mauchly of the physics faculty with computations that led to one of the first computers. She was involved in Kappa Delta Kappa and was an officer of the Women’s Athletic Association, which honored women in athletics. At the start of World War II, she entered the Women’s Auxiliary Volunteer Services as an Ensign and returned to Collegeville at the end of the war to teach math at Ursinus. She helped organize the CMP program, an early interdisciplinary program combining chemistry, math and physics. She was the first woman to serve as assistant dean of the College. She served in the Navy Reserves, and in 1969 she was commissioned as a Captain.

In 1964 she was awarded the Lindback Award for outstanding teaching, and in 1977 she received an Alumni Award. As a champion for women’s athletics at Ursinus College, she was the first honoree in 2004 of the Blanche B. Schultz ’41 Award to a worthy individual who shows dedication to college athletics. The award is given annually. Memorial donations may be made to The Blanche B. Schultz Scholarship Fund, Ursinus College, Advancement Office, PO Box 1000, Collegeville, Pa., 19426-1000.

Richard BreMiller, Professor of Mathematics Emeritus Richard “Dick” BreMiller died on April 27, 2014. He was born in Sayre, PA on July 29, 1931. Raised in Hyde Park, NY and King of Prussia, PA, he graduated from The Haverford School in 1948 and the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1953. He served in the US Navy on active duty during the Korean War on the USS Capricornus and spent many years as a lieutenant in the US Naval Reserve. He furthered his education by obtaining a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University in 1962, and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Delaware in 1966. He taught mathematics (and coached the wrestling team) at Episcopal Academy and at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and was a professor of mathematics at Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA until he retired in 1994. He was a member of Sigma Xi, the honor society for scientific research and engineering, and the Physics Honor Society.

His retirement years were spent with his wife, Barbara, in Lewes, DE, where he had performed his reserve duties while in the USNR. He enjoyed sailing, bird watching and traveling all over the world. He was very active in his church, Eagle’s Nest Fellowship of Milton, DE and Crossroad Community Church of Georgetown, DE. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbara; two daughters, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life took place in the Lewes, DE area. In lieu of flowers, a contribution in Richard Bre Miller’s memory can be made to support the Sarcoma Research Program at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Donations can be mailed in the name of Richard BreMiller to Penn Medicine Development, attention Karrie L. Borgelt, 3535 Market St. Ste 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Professor Louis Aubrey De Catur Louis Aubrey De Catur, known as Jim, died suddenly of natural causes June 9, 2014 in Gdansk, Poland, after enjoying a trip to Scandinavia. He taught Shakespeare and literature at Ursinus for 30 years, from 1970-2000. On campus he acted in theater productions and sang in the college choir. Jim developed a love of Chinese and Japanese literature, and studied Chinese language, as well as teaching, as an exchange professor at Tohoku Gakuin University in Sendai, Japan, in 1989 and 1994. He also spent summers studying at Columbia, Stanford, and Oxford, England.

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Raised in Washington, D.C., he graduated through the ROTC program with a degree in English literature from the University of Maryland, returning later for his M.A. and Ph.D. While writing his thesis he taught English at the U.S. Naval Academy. In retirement he studied German, poetry, opera and the recorder, and taught Shakespeare at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. He sang in church choirs, participated on parish vestries, and was three points shy of a grand master title in Bridge. He developed a hobby of collecting early American furniture, culminating in the business venture Louis of Lewes at Practically Yours Antiques in Lewes, Del. He served two years in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict in Minnesota and Arizona and in the 1960s he taught English for the Department of Defense through the University of Maryland program in Libya, France and Germany. He is survived by his wife, Carol, his son, Michael De Catur daughter, Caroline De Catur Putnam (Christopher) and other family members. A memorial service was scheduled for Friday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m., at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Second and Market Streets, Lewes. A graveside service in Shelter Island, N.Y., will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of Delaware, Frederick D. Thomas Building, Lewes, Del., 19958.

Rollover!

Good IRA.

Don’t know if this dog has any tricks left... but we can show you a sure way to make a tax-wise gift from your retirement assets.

The IRA charitable rollover provision, which Congress extended for tax year 2013 in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, has not been extended by Congress for this tax year, as of yet. We are still hoping for such an extension (or permanence).

In the meantime, if you have: Assets held in an IRA, 401(K) or 403(b) and you need to or can take a distribution AND appreciated securities held in another account AND desire to make a meaningful outright gift to Ursinus College We can share a strategy for making a tax-wise charitable gift that: Doesn’t depend on the IRA legislation being passed by Congress AND avoids tax on the capital gain associated with your appreciated securities AND doesn’t require you to be at least age 70 ½.

For information on how to structure such a charitable gift, please contact us today or visit our gift planning web site at ursinus.giftplans.org/IRA and choose Featured Article from the menu on the left side and/or call Mark P. Gadson Executive Director, Major and Planned Gifts • 610.409.3164 • mgadson@ursinus.edu

weddings

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Devon Shedlock 1999 and Mara Killen were married on May, 31, 2014.

Caitlin Massey 2007 and Mike McGarvey 2006 were married on June 8, 2013.

Elizabeth Donze 2005 and Gregory Sandberg were married on June 28, 2014.

Thomas Howard 2000 and Stefanie Alaimo were married on May 17, 2014.

Bernadette Mason 2008 and Daniel Livewell were married on May 4, 2013.

Christine Martin 2004 and Chris Ciunci 2001 were married on Aug. 3, 2013.

Jennie Moore 2009 and Ronnie Anderson 2009 were married on May 31, 2014.

Nicole Erdosy 2001 and James Nichols were married on Sept. 27, 2013.

URSINUS WEDDING PHOTOS Ursinus Magazine publishes wedding photos in the magazine as well as online. Please send your favorite wedding memories.

Digital photos can be e-mailed to ucmag@ursinus.edu.

Ursinus College reserves the right to reject publication of photos which are not of publishable quality. We regret that we are not able to return print photographs. The wedding date must be given and the group photograph should include only Ursinus alumni.

Please sign onto the Ursinus online community: www.ursinus.edu/alumni for full captions including names of the Ursinus alumni pictured in the photo.

Questions can be addressed to the Office of Alumni Relations, 610.409.3585, or by e-mailing ucmag@ursinus.edu.

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events 2014 Berman Museum Good Neighbors Exhibit Tuesday, October 14 - Sunday, January 11 Berman Museum of Art Center for Science and the Common Good Lecture with Dr. Rebecca Roberts Monday, October 20 • 7 p.m.

Lenfest Theater, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center Berman Museum of Art Fall Celebration Thursday, October 23 • 4-7 p.m.

Berman Museum of Art Join in the Berman’s Fall Celebration, followed by Andy Warhol’s Sleep: Lecture and Special Screening at 7 p.m. in Bomberger Auditorium.

Homecoming 2014 Friday, October 24 - Saturday, October 25 RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve, Ursinus Campus Start Homecoming Weekend off on Friday night with Class Reunion Dinners for milestone reunion years ending in 4’s & 9’s and the 3rd annual Grizzly Gala! Enjoy signature cocktails, fab food and the sounds of the Slippery Band with fellow alums, students, faculty and staff. On Saturday, come home to the UC Campus for the Bears’, Brews & Bites Annual Tailgate with organization and class reunions!

For the full Homecoming weekend schedule and to register, please visit www.ursinus.edu/Homecoming

Hall of Fame for Athletes Saturday, November 1 • 6-8:30 p.m.

Wismer Lower Lounge Celebrate the 2014 inductees of the Ursinus College Hall of Fame for Athletes: Susan Darwin Corl ’81 John E.F. Corson P’04 - Blanche B. Schultz ’41 Award Recipient Kyle Goldwater ’00 Dean Lent ’87 Christina Ng-Watson ’02 Kathryn Polgar Schalleur ’96 Dennis Stanton ’04 Laurie Holmes Sutherland ’81 Michael Vecchio ’00 Choral Concert Saturday, November 1 • 7:30 p.m.

Bomberger Auditorium Author Rachel Levitsky Reading Monday, November 3 • 7-8 p.m.

Lenfest Theater, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center Ursinus College Wind Ensemble Friday, November 7 • 7:30 p.m.

Lenfest Theater, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center

Heefner Organ Recital Sunday, October 26 • 4 p.m.

Bomberger Auditorium

Ursinus College Dance Company Thursday, November 20 - Saturday, November 22 Lenfest Theater, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center

Theater Performance: Medea, Translation by Brendan Kennelly Wednesday, October 29 -Sunday, November 2 Blackbox Studio Theater, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center For show times and to buy tickets, visit www.ursinus.edu/tickets

Ursinus College String Ensemble Saturday, November 22 • 7:30 p.m.

Bomberger Auditorium

Panel Discussion: Liberal Education and Civic Engagement Thursday, October 30 • 7 p.m.

Lenfest Theater, Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center

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Handel’s Messiah Saturday, December 6 • 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 7 • 2:30 p.m.

Bomberger Auditorium Events are frequently added to the calendar. Please check the Ursinus web site for the most current schedule of events at events.ursinus.edu

field notes Fielding Theories on Baseball, Big Salaries & Opportunistic Behavior Q

What aspect of your baseball research is the most interesting or exciting?

Of the many aspects, there are two that excite me the most. First, economists believe that people generally engage in opportunistic behavior, meaning people take advantage of situations to enhance their satisfaction and happiness. We see opportunistic behavior as the norm, but realize exceptions exist. But using baseball data that is rich with publicly available information on guaranteed contracts, salaries, and offensive and defensive performances, we can test whether ball players boost their performance in the last year of their contracts and then shirk after landing a lucrative, guaranteed contract.

Q

What have you discovered?

I find that baseball hitters, on average, boost their offensive performances during the last year of their contracts, which leads to a $240,000 - $470,000

per year increase in their annual income above what they would make without the boost. Additionally, hitters' offensive performances decline the first year of a new four year or longer guaranteed contract, suggesting that they should have been paid $175,000 less per year. These findings bolster economists’ beliefs in opportunistic behavior and it's cool that we can test economic theories using unlikely data sources.

Q

Have you found an audience interested in your theories?

I now attend the Society for the Advancement of Baseball Research (SABR) conference annually where I meet players and general managers, present my research, and live and breathe baseball for four days. SABR is familiar to readers of Michael Lewis' book Moneyball. It's the organization that has revolutionized baseball by introducing quantitative analysis to assist in FALL 2014

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“When the opportunity arose to blend my love of baseball with my enthusiasm for statistical analysis, I knew I had hit a cool research vein,” says Professor Heather O’Neill, who teaches the Economics of Sports. Prior to coming to Ursinus, Dr. O'Neill worked in Washington D.C., on public policy issues with the American Enterprise Institute and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. At Ursinus, she has won the Lindback Award for Teaching Excellence. Dr. O'Neill teaches several of the department's core courses, including Principles of Macroeconomics, Business Statistics, Managerial Economics, and Econometrics.

decision making. There are not many female SABR members, certainly not many presenting papers, so I gain some credibility with my students when teaching my economics of sports course. When I retire, I would love to do research for a professional baseball team.

Q

Was there something that inspired you to commit to this as a research topic?

I grew up in the Philadelphia area and have always been a Phillies fan. When the opportunity arose to blend my love of baseball with my enthusiasm for statistical analysis, I knew I had hit a cool research vein. My aunt and great aunt were the two people who taught me the most about baseball and as a child I tried to emulate their passion and knowledge. As nine-year-old in 1964, the Phillies did the unthinkable. They put a team on the field that won a lot of games. Why is that surprising? Because just three years earlier the last place Phillies had lost 107 games, including a record breaking 23 games in a row. The Phillies were the picture of futility, but 1964 was different. On September 21, 1964, the Phillies held a 6½ game lead in the National League with only 12 games left in the season. My beloved Phillies were headed to the World Series. But wait, the Phillies lost 10 games in a row, came in second place, and missed their berth to the World Series. This Philadelphia “Phold” scarred generations of fans for years to come, including my fanatical aunts and me. As a result, like all good Phillies fans, I love them. I just don’t trust them.

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Q

What’s a nugget of data about this field that the average person doesn’t know?

The econometric model I built enables me to predict a hitter's performance based on several criteria and compare it to his actual performance. For instance, in 2008 and 2009 the St. Louis Cardinal star Albert Pujols showed his actual on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) exceeded his predicted levels significantly. In 2010 and again in his contract year in 2011, his actual OPS values dipped below his expected levels. Surprisingly, despite two years of unmet expectations, 32-year-old Pujols still signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the LA Angels in 2012. His offensive performances in 2012 and 2013 were miserable, not only by his standards, but relative to many players.

Why would a team sign an aging player to such an expensive contract? Phillies fans moan about costly long-term contracts of underperforming players.

Perhaps having more econometric evidence available can help teams avoid costly contract mishaps.

Q

What first drew you to statistics?

Baseball’s rich history of statistics intrigued me for as long as I can remember. I memorized batting averages, earned run averages and the home runs for players across the National League. I collected coins, stamps and baseball cards, all of which have a connection to numbers. I don’t know why I was drawn to numbers and how to analyze them, but I always have been.

Unsurprisingly, I majored in Mathematics as an undergraduate at University of Vermont. After 20 credits in math courses, I wondered what I would ultimately do with my math degree. Late in my sophomore year I also declared Economics as my second major because I could use my mathematical, analytical skills in a field that was dynamic and challenging.

Take Me Out to the Numbers Game...

Two Best Baseball Stats 1. I don’t think anyone will ever surpass Joe DiMaggio’s record of 56 consecutive games with a hit.

Getting a hit in every game from May 15 to July 16 blows me away.

2. In the modern era of baseball, Denny McClain won 30 games as a pitcher for the Tigers in 1968.

Three Best Reasons for being a UC professor 1. Working with students on undergraduate research.

2. I can be entrepreneurial. I know what courses I have to teach, but how I do it, is totally up to me. Creating lectures, classroom activities, assignments, and tests allows me to wander in the vast field of economics. Showing students the daily relevancy of economics through a variety of examples and scenarios helps students embrace the economic way of thinking as a powerful tool for life. In addition, by being demanding and offering challenging classes, I show students they can meet lofty goals by working consistently and efficiently each day.

3. I love the fact that most alumni of Ursinus beam a wide grin when they think of their days on campus. The developed closeness to peers and professors holds a special place in their hearts. We’re doing something right if that’s the result.

The smaller the school, the more people you know, because you interact with them throughout the day. Those bonds are as dear to me as to the alumni.

O’Neill’s Top Phive Phillies 1. Johnny Callison played on the famous 1964 Phillies team. I still have my Johnny Callison Wonder Web baseball glove that he autographed many years after I stopped using it. He hit a three-run homer in the 1964 All-Star Game to win the game.

2. Cookie Rojas, also on the 1964 team. He played eight positions in his career. Curiously, he didn’t play first base, perhaps the easiest one to play. Cookie was the ultimate utility player, because he could play anywhere and would do what he could to help his team. I often call myself Cookie Rojas in the B&E department because I teach a wide swath of courses, although not as ably as Cookie played!

3. Gene Mauch, the manager of the 1964 Phillies. He didn’t have much to work with, but somehow got that team so close to the World Series. Articles have been written showing how his team outperformed tremendously that year. By September, he had to pitch his prime pitchers too often, which contributed to the team’s fold.

4. Steve Carlton, the best left-handed pitcher with the nastiest slider I’ve ever seen. He won 27 games in 1972 for the last place Phillies. Imagine being able to accomplish that feat with such a lousy team. At the time, his between game and off-season training rituals were often ridiculed by the media. But his was doing the right things, having earned four Cy Young Awards.

5. Carlos Ruiz always gives a 100 percent. He gets key hits in big games, handles the pitchers ably, and doesn’t seem swept up by his fame and new fortune.

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BEARS FOREVER Classes of 1970, 1965, 1960 and 1955, rekindle your lifelong connection to Ursinus, the campus and your classmates! Enjoy events, such as:

• Class Reunion Dinners • Red, Old Gold and Black Society Brunch – a formal induction

of the Class of 1965 into the Red, Old Gold and Black Society, which celebrates those alumni in their 50th Reunion and above

• Open Classes with students • Alumni CIE Classes – a Common Intellectual Experience

(CIE) class tailored to our returning alumni. Discover what our renowned freshman seminar is all about!

• UC Jazz Band Supper Club • Celebration of Student Achievement (CoSA) – attend

research presentations, dance recitals, art exhibits and more by our UC students!

www.ursinus.edu/AlumniWeekend • 610.409.3585

Alumni Weekend 2015: April 23-25